He spoke at the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions probing the alleged importation of the bulletproof Ranger Rover SUV.

Saraki regretted that the Senate was being tackled by unnamed persons for its reversal of the controversial policy of retrospective duty payment on vehicles introduced by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

The Senator Samuel Anyanwu-led committee also questioned Senator Dino Melaye over allegations that he did not graduate from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria.

The Senate, on March 21, referred the two issues to the committee for investigation.

It followed a point of order motion by Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume (Borno South) that booth issues be investigated to protect the integrity of the Senate.

Ndume relied on some publications to draw the attention of the Senate to the allegations against Saraki and Melaye.

Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu promptly referred the issues to the committee to investigate and report back within four weeks.

Besides Anyanwu, other members of the committee at the investigative hearing included Senators Mao Ohuabunwa (Abia North), Bala Ibn Na’Allah (Kebbi South), who excused himself from Saraki’s probe but participated in Melaye’s investigation, Tayo Alasoadura (Ondo Central), Peter Nwaoboshi (Delta North), Mathew Urhghide (Edo South) and Albert Akpan, who said he is a friend to Melaye.

Before Saraki began his testimony, the committee’s chairman explained why he was invited.

Anyanwu asked Saraki whether he (Saraki) was an importer; whether he imported any vehicle in the name of Abubakar Bukola Saraki and if it is true that he imported SUV Range Rover that was clear with fake customs papers.

Saraki was also asked whether the SUV was cleared in his name or on his behalf and whether he asked anybody to clear the SUV on his behalf.

But the Senate President began his testimony by warning those fighting the National Assembly to desist from the act in the interest of democracy.

He insisted that democracy would not thrive if institutions of government are deliberately weakened and ridiculed.

Saraki said: “I am not an importer and at no point did I import an SUV Range Rover. As you know, this is a vehicle that is not a “personal vehicle. It is a vehicle which was processed through the National Assembly.

“I don’t know anything about the importation; I did not appoint any clearing agent or anything like that.

“Most of the vehicles that are here you only know when it is delivered to you. None of this did I import or getting any agent or going to the port.

“This is not true. Those that said it know it is not true. Customs knows it is not true, because we all know that all treated vehicles have end user certificate and it states clearly who the importer is and these documents are available and there is no document anywhere that shows my name.

“So, I want to state categorically that this is not true and it is important that I come here and clear my name and put this matter to rest.

“We all raised the issue of the policy that is anti-people in the interest of Nigerians. This policy that really had no value at all and that was why this motion came up and we debated it in the interest of Nigerians. But unfortunately, those who want to fight back went and thought there was something to blackmail us with.”

The chairman of the committee told the importer of the car, Tokunbo Akindele, that he imported an SUV and did not pay duties and that was the reason the Senate is having issue with the Nigerian Customs.

Akindele responded: “In 2015, on behalf of the firm that I work for, Oando Plc, we imported a Range Rover Bulletproof SUV.

“We imported it as the company that needed to use it for the various operations that we have around the country.

“The car took longer than was expected and by the time it reached Nigeria in 2015, September, we decided that we will no longer be using the car, so we effectively packed it.”

He added that “the car was not imported for the Senate President…

“The National Assembly took receipt of the car through a consignment from us, through Lanre Shittu Motors, in December 2015.”

Also speaking, the car dealer, Olanrewaju Shittu, told the committee that they facilitated the sale of the car to the National Assembly.

He said there was never a time they sold the car to Saraki.

“It was when the car was intercepted some time in 2017, that it was brought to my knowledge and we contacted Oando, who gave us the papers that they said was false,” Shittu said.

On the investigation of the certificate forgery against Melaye, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria Vice Chancellor Prof. Ibrahim Garba confirmed that Melaye earned a degree in Geography from the Faculty of Arts in 2000.

Garba, who also appeared before the committee, told the committee that Melaye graduated from the institution as Daniel Jonah Melaye with a third class degree in Geography.

The VC noted that Melaye graduated and did his one year compulsory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) between 2000 and 2001 in Kaduna State.

Vice chancellor said: “From the records I know Senator Dino Melaye, who was formerly known as Jonah Daniel Melaye as a former student of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and I know him to be the distinguished senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“From the records of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria , Distinguished Senator Dino Melaye, who was at that time named Daniel Jonah Melaye graduate with a Third Class degree of the Bachelors of Art in Geography in the year 2000. And by this he is a graduate of the university.

Melaye, in his testimony, presented documents concerning his admission into ABU, his secondary school certificate, NYSC discharge certificate, change of name and others in acknowledgement of what the VC said about him.

Melaye said: “I thank you for the invitation and I want to state my unequivocal confidence in this committee to do justice to this matter.

“I have few documents I would also want to tender to the committee and before I do that I also want to state with every sense of responsibility that I am a graduate of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria.

“I gained admission with an offer of admission on the 6th of September, 1994 and the admission is to study Bachelor of Arts Geography and a copy of that admission letter will be tendered.

“I also have a second document to tender, my acceptance offer by the university. I also have the third document to tender which is my result from the Ahmadu Bello University certifying me a graduate of the school.

“I also have here a document for my registration that I tendered where I have C5 in CRS, A3 in Agric, C6 in Economics, C6 in Geography, C6 in Biology and a credit in English.

“I will also tender that as evidence. After my graduation for the Ahmadu Bello University, the school sent my name to the NYSC for the mandatory Service and I participated in the one year NYSC.

“I served in Police College Kaduna and by the grace of God, that year I won the National Prize of the DG and it is on record and verifiable and I beg to tender my discharge certificate from NYSC,’’ he said

“My name as an undergraduate was Daniel Jonah Melaye. Jonah is actually my father’s name, so that is what I have on my university certificate.

“But because I am now popularly known as Dino I applied to the court and asked that I needed an affidavit for change of name before my admission and I submitted it to ABU.

“I will tender my Identity cards and I came here with a copy of my final year project duly signed by my head of department in the Faculty of Arts as it was then called.”

When the committee’s proceedings began, Ndume, who raised the issue, was not at the hearing room.

Clerk of the committee, Freedom Osolo, told the committee that Ndume could not be reached.

When Ndume eventually came, he was asked why he raised the issue.

Ndume told the committee that he did not write any petition, but only raised a point of order to draw the attention of the Senate to a newspaper publication.

He said: “I did not petition. I only raised a point of order. That is Order 14 and 15. That is, when an issue about a lawmaker comes up, we have the right to bring it up. I made a request. The decision to bring this case before this committee is not my doing. It was the decision of the Senate. I did not expect that it will generate this kind of attention.

“I came here with my own certificate. I was here when the Vice Chancellor said Melaye graduated from the school in 1999. I do not know how you can graduate in 2000, but went for your NYSC in 1999. I do not understand.”

Anyanwu corrected Ndume. He said the vice chancellor had cleared the air on when Melaye graduated. He said contrary to Ndume’s claims, Melaye’s NYSC discharge certificate shows that he did the compulsory one year national programme in 2000, after his graduation.

Anyanwu retorted on another point raised by Ndume and said: “You said you did not write any petition, but only raised a point of order. Did you as a senator do any due diligence before you brought the case before the Senate?”

Ndume again reacted: “That is not my job. That is the job of the committee. I only raised a point of order. I am not Punch Newspaper and I did not write this report.”

Deputy Senate Leader Bala Na’Allah, who doubles as vice chairman of the Ethics committee explained more: “Is not about the procedure or the contents of the complaints. You are aware that you are a former Leader of the Senate. You are aware that the public, having formed an opinion, based on what you presented, that we clear this whole thing? I am sure we have cleared your mind since you have seen the discharge certificate. What will be your conclusion when you leave here?

Ndume reacted: “Let me add that I called the attention of the Senate because I feel it is my responsibility to do that. I did not do it in isolation. It has happened before. It cannot be swept under the carpet. He has presented everything. What more do I have to say? What I did was to protect the integrity of the Senate.”